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Super fast Social Security disability benefits

By on 02/26/2010 in 5 Starting Benefits

One of my readers asked:

I had my hearing 2 weeks ago in Denver. The judge made an immediate favorable decision. My lawyer told me that most people get their benefits before they even receive the decision. I’m waiting patiently.

Congratulations on the win!

I have written about how long it takes after a hearing to get a decision, as well as my experience with how long it takes to actually get the benefits.

Personally, I have never seen benefits paid before the receiving a decision.

However, I have started to see some cases where a client receives a letter from the local Social Security office scheduling an appointment to process benefits before the decision is delivered. Clearly, the Judge’s office is entering the decision and Social Security acting on it immediately (and kudos for that), while the decision takes a few days to be delivered by the post office.

This does not happen all the time. In fact I have only see this is a small portion of cases and only on SSI cases. This makes sense since the local office only processes benefits (after a win) on SSI cases. Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit cases are processed by a regional payment center.

Unfortunately, in many other cases, it takes four to six weeks after the decision before an appointment is scheduled at the local Social Security office. Since this may cause a hardship, it is sometimes possible to get a case expedited for dire need.

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Disclaimer: This is NOT legal advice. This site provides general information about Social Security disability cases in Colorado. To discuss your particular circumstances, please contact a lawyer in your area. Please review the full disclaimer .

About Tomasz Stasiuk

Tomasz Stasiuk is a Colorado Springs Social Security disability lawyer and the founding attorney of the Stasiuk Firm - a law firm specializing in Social Security disability cases in Colorado. Follow Tomasz Stasiuk on Google and Twitter
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  • http://www.harrellandharrell.com/ Scott Grimm

    Hopefully the approval process will begin to speed up as capacity increases. http://bit.ly/cZKOSY

  • Pingback: SPEEDING UP Social Security disability benefit processing after a win | Colorado Social Security Law

  • leslIEBENTON

    IS IT TRUE THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR CASE EXPEDITED –IF ITS CONSIDER A DIRE NEED ..

  • http://www.ColoradoSocialSecurityLaw.com TomaszStasiuk
  • leslIEBENTON

    MY CASE HAVE WENT BACK TO THE ALJ,THE AC GRANTED MY REVEIW AS A DIRE NEED STATUS,DO THE ALJ APPROVE IT OR HAVE TO WAIT FOR 2 OR MORE YEARS FOR DECISION.

  • http://www.ColoradoSocialSecurityLaw.com TomaszStasiuk

    When the Appeals Council remands (sends back) a case to the hearing level, ODAR usually schedules a second hearing unless the Judge can approve the case without one. How long this takes depends on the backlog at the ODAR office.

    In the file is marked “Dire Need” it may get faster attention. It is sometime worth checking in the ODAR office to make sure they are still aware of the “Dire Need” status.

  • leslIEBENTON

    MY CASE IS NOW AT THE ODAR,FOR THE ALJ “NEW DECISION”THE APPEAL COUNCIL GRANTED MY DIRE NEED CASE ,SO THEY SENT IT BACK TO THE ALJ,FOR A NEW DECISION DO THIS MEAN FAVORABLETHIS CASE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2006.(IM TIRED)..

  • Gammysangels

    My lawyer sent in my dire need letter about how long does it take to know they have accepted your dire need letter or not

  • http://www.ColoradoSocialSecurityLaw.com TomaszStasiuk

    It all depends on the ODAR (Office of Disability Adjudication and Review) handling your case and which Judge it is assigned to. Sometimes responses come in a week, sometimes, there is no formal response at all.

    However, your lawyer can call the Judge's clerk to check on the status of the dire need request.

  • Gammysangels

    Thank you Im actually in NC & praying hard that maybe just maybe I know something soon @ the reconsideration level I was sent to their dr & he even said I was considered disabled I thought for sure I would be approved it just goes to show you even they dont have to agree with their dr. Thanks again for your answer in a timely matter

  • ALDONandALLYSON

    that is what happened to me. got a letter from local ssa office, said i needed to come in to discuss my money. now i had not gotten a letter from the alj , it came 2 days later. but , i was told on the phone by my local ssa worker that i had been approved for benefits. also, my decision was fully favorable. so, yes they are on top of things. and that is a good thing for people who have waited long enough already!!! i went to hearing on the 2nd of august, got ssa letter the 11th, got alj letter 13th telling me the decision. went down to local office, signed paperwork. and this was before i had gotten alj letter!!!

  • james

    well i have been going threw the process and this is what i have wrong with me i have had spinal sergery and haveing issues and also restless leg , and numbness in the lower body like leggs and budox and feet , and high blood pressuer , and dieabetes and nerve dammage in the spine and corpal tunnel in the left arm and vision impairment and iam on 7 diffrent meds a dat what are my chances

  • http://www.Planet10Tech.com TomaszStasiuk

    I often work with people for well over a year to help them get ready for their Social Security hearing. Even cases with similar conditions can have different outcomes. One case can be approved, another denied. The success or failure of a case largely depends on the details in the medical records. Based on what you describe, you might qualify for disability. However, whether you will be approved depends on the details.

  • The Man3311

    I had my SSI hearing on 12/08/11 & at the hearing the judge approved my SSI & told me how much I will receive each month & I would be getting back pay all the way back to 2006. So how long before I receive a monthly check or my back pay check?

  • http://www.Planet10Tech.com TomaszStasiuk

    While a judge can enter an oral ruling, typically when the judge tells you how s/he will rule, it is not the decision. It typically takes a weeks to months to get the formal decision followed by more weeks to months to get the benefits started. More information here: http://www.socialsecurityinsider.com/2008/05/how-long-after-my-social-security-hearing-does-it-take-to-get-a-decision/

    Of course, I was not at the hearing. So, I can’t say if the judge was just telling you what the decision will be, or actually entering the decision right there. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7JPZHHHFLERAUZM42QSYPKP7LM twinkie41

    I have a hearing coming up at the end of Feb,but received a critical case expedited processing letter before my hearing letter.Why send the granted critical case letter when you still have to wait for the hearing

  • http://www.Planet10Tech.com TomaszStasiuk

    Well, expedited processing on critical cases means a case jumps ahead of other cases in line to be scheduled.
    However a case still need to find a space on the judge’s docket for a hearing to be scheduled. So, critical cases get priority scheduling, but still need space on the schedule.
    Right now (December) most of the cases I see are being set in February, which is the earliest docket opening. Presumably the situation is similar in your area.
    You don’t mention how long ago you appealed. If it was less than 6 months ago, it would appear that the case is being expedited.
    Of course, I am working with very limited information.

  • Mazax

    i have severe capral tunnel syndrome had this for some time now since  around 2006//2007 which started with certain job i was doing.  im unabale for over a year now with even haveing the ability to write, it causes severe numbness//pain. it has also been confirmed by my hospital over month ago i have this. however even as ive worked most of my life,  and due to other health problems such as 2009 had cervicale cancer, 2010 badly damanged my left leg ligarments, which cause severe pain when trying to walk, severe depression, and my d.l.a has been fully stopped??? to whic i find this utter disgracefull by them. have you got any form of help  you can give too me?? as now there telling  me to atend  a medicale  to which i think they will still do this too me??  and to which there totaly fully in the wrong with treating me in this disgraceful way. 

  • http://www.stasiukfirm.com/ TomaszStasiuk

    This site discusses the Social Security disability system in the US. I can’t comment about the disability living allowance or any other disability program in the UK. I suspect you need to look for help closer to home. 

    All my best!

  • Lezalee111

    Just had my hearing also and the judge told me I won also ! He told me that everything is going to be ok and I have sufferd long enough it has been since 2008 .I am just now waiting to see how much I will be getting .

  • http://www.stasiukfirm.com/ TomaszStasiuk

    Congratulations!

  • Misprriss

     I just had my hearing 2 weeks ago called Monday and the decision was unfavorable. they told me i needed to have a doctor claim im disabled because they say that i didnt have enough medical evidence. this is something i was born with. i dont go to the doc because im in pain… i dont have insurance and dont want to be on pain pills because of the addiction it could cause. I have a doctor that i have seen a few times but dont know if he will help me? (this causes me pain everyday but going to the doctor just means more prodding and probing, they have no idea what to do to help me In most cases every doctor i see tells me im the first they have ever met that was born like with this) at my hearing they said i could do 3 jobs in the whole US!! Gate Guard, Weigh station agent and Ticket taker at the movie theatre…. feeling drained from fighting this for so long 3 years come June and just had my first hearing….

  • http://www.facebook.com/kayselfmaded Kayselfmade Dash

    i hope so

  • http://www.facebook.com/kayselfmaded Kayselfmade Dash

    will i have applyed for ssi. it the started of the year. in now they are making a desion on my case..

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